Key Events

"You know what hazards to look for.”

In cross examination officer Green said he was not aware whether Mohammed had a passenger.He said the footage from the dash cam would not necessarily be what the driver would have seen.

The officer accepted that if there was something that a driver did not expect to see it could lengthen the driver’s response time.

There were a number of factors that could lengthen his response time. He said:

If you are performing a manoeuvre you know what hazards to look for.”

Prior to the breaks being applied the Seat would have been travelling in excess of 58mph.

”If he had been travelling at faster than 58 mph it would have placed him even further away from Mohammed before he began breaking,” the officer said.

The trial has now finished for the day and the cross examination of the officer will continue tomorrow morning.

16:51

Officer did not believe Mohammed stopped before right hand turn

The officer said he did not believe Mohammed had stopped before he made the right hand turn.

He started the manoeuvre two seconds before the collision.

There is now going to be a break because there is a jury note from another trial

Judge Murray Creed has told the jury the case may continue later this afternoon or may have to resume tomorrow.

16:19

”He was going too fast to stop?”

PS Green said the Seat, travelling at a constant 58mph, had overtaken the tractor unit and returned to the correct side of the road and was then followed by the Skoda.

There is footage of the Seat and Skoda passing a camera and both cars are seen breaking just before the collision and then the tractor unit, which has never been traced, slows down.

There is a clip of the Hunters Moon pub approximately 600 metres away from the collision where the journey of the two cars begins.The officer said the average speed of the Seat up to the collision was 58mph while the average speed of the Skoda over the same distance was 52mph.

”Approximately two seconds before the collision Mohammed begins to turn,” he said.

PS Green said if Richards had been driving at the legal speed limit of 30mph he would have been able to stop in time.”He was going too fast to stop?” asked Mr Baker.”Yes” the officer replied

14:42Matt Cannon

The conditions that night

Stechford Road was a B road subject to a 30mph limit which has a slow sign on the road.On the night of the collision road conditions were dry, the air temperature was six degrees centigrade and vision was quite good.

Two vehicles, the Seat and the Skoda, the officer said, had overtaken a large goods vehicle and then come back on the correct side of he road three seconds before the collision.

There has now been a break.

14:35KEY EVENT

How the crash unfolded - CCTV

Continuing after lunch agreed facts were read out including that Mr Downer died at 15.52 hours on February 28.

Police Sergeant Adam Green, a forensic collision investigator, said he attended the scene of the crash.He said using video footage he had made estimations of speeds the vehicles were travelling at including the dash cam footage from Mohammed’s car which had turned on to Stechford Road.

At this point there appears to be three on-coming head lights.”

They include a tractor unit, the Seat and immediately behind is the Skoda.

Mohammed starts to make the turn and there is the impact of the two vehicles coming together.

There are photos taken of the route Mohammed’s vehicle would have taken on to the Stechford Road and a sign warning vehicles not to overtake and remain on the appropriate side of the road.

13:39Matt Cannon

Prosecution outlines its case against the accused

Mr Baker said there was dash cam footage from Mohammed’s car and there had been loud music playing which may have distracted him.

”The prosecution case is that he could and should have seen those individuals.”

He went on:

The prosecution case is that Richards was driving far too fast in the circumstances.

“If he was not racing he was driving competitively from a starting point which was a public house about 600 yards away.

“He cold not stop in an emergency.”

He has now finished his opening and the trial has adjourned for lunch.

13:27Matt Cannon

The cars were “racing” or “competitively in tandem” - claim prosecution

Mr Baker said the Volkswagen was turning right at a junction and that the Seat collided with him.

There was a Skoda being driven behind the Seat and they were being driven “in tandem.”

He went on:

They were both being driven at very high speed.”

Mr Baker said the Seat was being driven at 58 mph and the Skoda at 52mph.

He said they were either “racing together” or “competitively in tandem.”

Floral tributes at the scene of the crash. (Image: Birmingham Mail)

The Skoda, he said, managed to avoid the collision and Buchanan and her passenger assisted at the scene.

She disappeared but then turned up later at the hospital.

Mr Downer suffered head injuries and died four days later

13:24KEY EVENT

Mr Downer died as a result of injuries caused in the collision.

Ross McCathy reports from the courtroom..

Andrew Baker, prosecuting, said “In short terms this case is about the death of a young man called Juel Downer. He was the front seat passenger in a Seat Leon being driven by Richards.

The car was in collision with a black Volkswagen Golf being driven by Mohammed.

Mr Downer died as a result of injuries caused in the collision.

The prosecution case is that both defendants are criminally liable for Mr Downer’s death.

Cariss Buchanan a third defendant has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

He said the accident occurred at 10.30pm On Stechford Road in Hodge Hill on February 24.